Field Trips
©photo Glenn Pure
Field trip tickets:
These are complimentary to ticketed delegates. While tickets are free they must also be ‘purchased’ after checkout on the Humanitix website. You will guided there automatically once payment has been processed. Car-pooling will apply and you will be asked to indicate if you either have seats available or require a seat when you complete the ticketing requirements.
See Buy Tickets page for more
On this page: information on the activities and trips available during the conference, and a timetable below.
CANBERRA'S BIRDS THROUGH YOUR LENS
Capture Canberra's feathered wonders - one shot at a time
Canberra is well known for its parrots and cockatoos with Gang-gangs, Yellow-tailed Blacks, Sulphur-cresteds, Little Corellas, Galahs, King Parrots, Crimson Rosellas, Eastern Rosellas and Red-rumped Parrots all commonly seen in the nature reserves, suburbs and surrounding bushland. Coming into Autumn in early March these are all moving more into the ACT to spend the Winter. Canberra also has multiple wetlands and ponds that are good for water birds as well as a wealth of smaller birds found in streets, gardens and nature reserves.
We have put together an itinerary of varied locations to photograph birds on the days before and after the conference, including some of the best places that we like to visit in the Canberra region. There are options to join small group guided tours run by Canberra Birds volunteers to show you the hot spots, or simply get a map and head off to do your own thing.
We will be facilitating car-pooling to get to locations so we ask that when registering for tours you indicate whether you will have car spaces available or you will need a lift. If there is sufficient interest we will also be putting on a coach to get people to Tidbinbilla on the Monday at a cost of $tba.
You can proceed directly to the locations if you wish. However for those offering or requiring car-pool seats please gather in the foyer of the Mercure Hotel 30 mins before designated trip times where Organising Committee members will facilitate your transport arrangements.
The volunteer-led tours are free of charge for conference delegates, though some locations have parking or entrance fees. See timetable below.
Birding Field Trips - Locations
Jerrabomberra Wetlands
Nestled in the heart of Canberra, Jerrabomberra Wetlands is a thriving sanctuary for diverse bird species and a haven for nature photographers. It is one of the most significant wetlands in Canberra and features a range of habitats, including ponds, marshlands, grasslands, and forested areas. It is Canberra’s favourite birding location. There are multiple hides from which to view the wetlands as well as paths through grasslands and forested areas.
Bird species that you might expect to see include: New Holland Honeyeater, Red Wattlebird, Red-browed Finch, Grey Fantail, Superb Fairy-wren, Rufous and Golden Whistler, Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck, Eurasian Coot, Purple Swamphen, Dusky Moorhen, Egrets, Ibises and White-faced Heron, Spotted, Spotless and Baillon’s Crake, Latham’s Snipe, Australian Reed-warbler, Little Grassbird, Pink-eared and Freckled Duck, Australasian Shoveler, Royal Spoonbill, Australasian Grebe, Golden-headed Cisticola, Whistling Kite, Little Eagle, Swamp Harrier, Australian Hobby, Black-shouldered Kite, Black Swan, Pelican, Cormorants, Darters and Swallows.
Further information can be found at Parks ACT and the Jerrabomberra Wetlands website.
Canberra Birds have brochures that include Jerrabomberra Wetlands here and here.
Mulligan's Flat
As the best-preserved area of Yellow Box/Blakely’s Red Gum grassy woodland in Australia, Mulligans Flat includes an area enclosed by a predator-proof fence to protect reintroduced birds and mammals. Habitats include woodland, grassland, dry forest and a large open wetland. Mulligan’s Flat is an extensive area that you could easily spend all day exploring but we recommend visiting particularly the large dam and surrounding area. At dusk there is even the possibility of seeing Eastern Quoll, Eastern Bettong and Bush-Stone Curlew, all protected species re-introduced behind the predator-proof fence.
Birds that you might expect to see include: Scarlet Robin, Superb Parrot, White-throated Gerygone, Spotted Pardalote, Noisy Friarbird, Pink-eared Duck, Leaden Flycatcher, Masked Lapwing, Brown Quail, Stubble Quail, Australasian Grebe, Common Bronzewing, Tawny Frogmouth, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Quail Thrush, White-winged Chough, Brown Treecreeper, Hoary-headed Grebe, White-necked Heron.
Further information can be found at Parks ACT and Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary website.
A downloadable map can be found here (on this map we will be visiting the Wetlands Walk).
Mulligans flat is mentioned in a Canberra Birds brochure here.
Australian National Botanical Gardens
The Gardens have a great diversity of native plant species which provide habitat for a great variety of birds. One could easily spend all day wandering around the Gardens searching out birds as well as admiring the native plants. It can be a good place to see Gang-gang Cockatoos. A highlight of the Gardens is the Banksia Garden which in early March should be blooming well and home to Eastern Spinebills and New Holland Honeyeaters. The Gardens back onto Black Mountain and the more adventurous can, if so inclined, walk through the gardens, out a gate at the back of the Gardens and up to the top. If the Tower has opened up again (due to re-open March 2026) the views from the Tower over Canberra are spectacular. Other birds that are regularly seen in the gardens include: White-winged Choughs, Australian Ravens, Superb Fairy-wrens, Australian Wood-ducks, Crimson Rosellas, Red Wattlebirds, Rufous Whistler, Eastern Yellow Robin, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos, Australian Magpie, Grey Fantail, White-browed Scrubwren, Australian King Parrots, Superb Fairywren, Red-browed Finch and Tawney Frogmouth.
Further information can be found in the Canberra Birds brochures. A map showing the walking trails and an idea of the types of gardens to expect can be found here.
Tidbinbilla Sanctuary
Tidbinbilla is a nature reserve and threatened species conservation park about 45 minutes drive (19km) from the centre of Canberra. The Sanctuary at Tidbinbilla is a wetlands ecosystem, surrounded by bushland and protected by a predator-proof fence, providing a safe refuge for a range of native animals. A lot of the Sanctuary is wheelchair accessible with the path following a series of interconnected ponds. Search for platypus from the boardwalks and observe the resident and migratory bird life. Nearby is a koala enclosure. Bandicoots and Potoroos are also resident.
Bird species that you might expect to see at the Sanctuary include: Satin Bowerbird, Grey Butcherbird, Willie-wagtail, Grey Fantail, Magpie-lark, Musk Ducks, Golden Whistler, Striated Thornbill, Brown Thornbill, Grey Shrike-thrush, Little Eagle, Brown Goshawk, Purple Swamphen, Black Swan, Grey Teal, Eastern Shrike-tit, Sacred Kingfisher.
Further information on Tidbinbilla can be found here along with a Tidbinbilla map and guide.
Canberra Walk-in Aviary
The aviary is located a 20 minute drive from the centre of Canberra and features Finches, Parrots, Doves, Quail, Pheasants and Partridges from not only Australia but from other parts of the world. It is an ideal place to practice bird photography, especially for those at entry level, with some 650 birds from 60 different species in an open enclosed area. The birds are highly used to humans and many will come to land on you if you offer food (included with admission). Highly recommended, particularly if you have children with you.
There is an opportunity, if we get sufficient numbers of people interested, for the aviary to open early and exclusively for us on the Friday. Otherwise they are open 10am to 5pm every day. Admission price does apply.
Further information on the aviary can be found here, including a species list
